My wife and I have always envied our dock neighbors that live aboard. We would like to sell our our house, and buy a 45-55 sailboat to live aboard. We have looked at several boats but seem to like the layout of Hunters and Benneteau's. Even though we are both 'dyed in the wool' sailors, neither of us have stayed more than a few days on our own boat, so we dont really of a gage as to what it would be like to live aboard. So I thought I'd through out this post to get some words of wisdom from you all.... thanks.. Ted
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Bill O'Donovan
Having never done it...
I can't speak from experience. A lot depends on how much time you spend at home. If not much, you may do fine. On the other hand, it may ruin your desire to go sailing. "Come on, honey, let's untie the house and go for a spin." I even know a fellow who bought a waterfront house and shortly quit sailing becaue, "I see water every day."
I can't speak from experience. A lot depends on how much time you spend at home. If not much, you may do fine. On the other hand, it may ruin your desire to go sailing. "Come on, honey, let's untie the house and go for a spin." I even know a fellow who bought a waterfront house and shortly quit sailing becaue, "I see water every day."
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Lnranch
Give it a test first
WE keep our O'Day 28 in Marathon Fl. WE live in North Texas and brought our boat down for a six month great adventure. We are still here after two years. We spend about half the time on the boat. The longest time we had spent on the boat before brought her down was one night. We have met many cruisers here, as Marathon seems to be the cross roads for people heading from the Gulf to the Bahamas. Many have lived on their boats for years and others last only a short time. First living in such close quarters is a new experience and you can get on each others nerves in a hurry. WE often say before we leave home we need to live in the closet, take showers with the vegetable sprayer and keep our clothes under the sink for mildew. The very best thing we find about living on the boat is the people we meet. The worst part is you are always saying goodbye. WE would not like to live full time on the boat, but enjoy the way we do it. This is not say you will not enjoy living full timeon your boat. THe best advice I could give you is try it first before making a major lifestyle change. Good Luck Ned SV Dream WEaver
WE keep our O'Day 28 in Marathon Fl. WE live in North Texas and brought our boat down for a six month great adventure. We are still here after two years. We spend about half the time on the boat. The longest time we had spent on the boat before brought her down was one night. We have met many cruisers here, as Marathon seems to be the cross roads for people heading from the Gulf to the Bahamas. Many have lived on their boats for years and others last only a short time. First living in such close quarters is a new experience and you can get on each others nerves in a hurry. WE often say before we leave home we need to live in the closet, take showers with the vegetable sprayer and keep our clothes under the sink for mildew. The very best thing we find about living on the boat is the people we meet. The worst part is you are always saying goodbye. WE would not like to live full time on the boat, but enjoy the way we do it. This is not say you will not enjoy living full timeon your boat. THe best advice I could give you is try it first before making a major lifestyle change. Good Luck Ned SV Dream WEaver
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Pat
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Gordon Myers
Life-Style not "Living"
Life-Style not "living". 1st you must define which type of "Live Aboard" you will be doing! a) Give up the house, live aboard but stay in one port in order to continue working. Using the boat on weekend just as you do when living in a house & owing a boat. Still have access to an auto for daily use. b) Give up the house, live aboard but not working (retired) or at least not working in only one spot. Traveling to new ports, following the sun, not staying in one location for long periods of time. No access to an auto most of the time (renting autos, biking, walking, using own auto only for a few months when you may be in your home port). We are in the 2nd category and live on our h 450. We are just completing on 1st year of a 5 year plan. As in most things there are good & bad things, but it is an Adventure and Life-Style. If you have specific questions I will try to answer. p.s. - We stayed 2 months in St. Augustine, FL (at Oyster Creek) this Winter. We had a ball, what a great town, plue the Giggling Gator burgers. Good Luck, Gordon & Linda s/v Utopia III
Life-Style not "living". 1st you must define which type of "Live Aboard" you will be doing! a) Give up the house, live aboard but stay in one port in order to continue working. Using the boat on weekend just as you do when living in a house & owing a boat. Still have access to an auto for daily use. b) Give up the house, live aboard but not working (retired) or at least not working in only one spot. Traveling to new ports, following the sun, not staying in one location for long periods of time. No access to an auto most of the time (renting autos, biking, walking, using own auto only for a few months when you may be in your home port). We are in the 2nd category and live on our h 450. We are just completing on 1st year of a 5 year plan. As in most things there are good & bad things, but it is an Adventure and Life-Style. If you have specific questions I will try to answer. p.s. - We stayed 2 months in St. Augustine, FL (at Oyster Creek) this Winter. We had a ball, what a great town, plue the Giggling Gator burgers. Good Luck, Gordon & Linda s/v Utopia III
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Dave
Tradeoffs
"Yup !! I live aboard my sailboat!!" sounds romantical doesn't it? It is a lifestyle of tradeoffs!!! If you are planning to give up a 'real' house it is more than that! Dont go that far unless You plan to give up ALL of Your STUFF!! If You already have a boat and the house .... move onto the boat ... rent out the house so You cant wimp out and retreat to the safety and SPACE of home! Practice living in that small space.. cooking with minimal galley stuff. Dressing out of a few small drawers and that tiny hanging locker. Turn your van into a closet. Rent a storage unit to keep some extra stuff ... like Formal wear... You cant really keep your tux and her gown on board. But you do need to have access to them. Seasonal clothes !!! Laundry at the marina laundromat or down the street somewhere. Practice first before You give up your 'home' !! And lastly ... give up sailing ... You cannot sail your home .... it's too hard to put it all away and go out for the day! Fair winds. Dave (3 yr liveabaord) I love it !! I am finally figuring out how to sail my house.
"Yup !! I live aboard my sailboat!!" sounds romantical doesn't it? It is a lifestyle of tradeoffs!!! If you are planning to give up a 'real' house it is more than that! Dont go that far unless You plan to give up ALL of Your STUFF!! If You already have a boat and the house .... move onto the boat ... rent out the house so You cant wimp out and retreat to the safety and SPACE of home! Practice living in that small space.. cooking with minimal galley stuff. Dressing out of a few small drawers and that tiny hanging locker. Turn your van into a closet. Rent a storage unit to keep some extra stuff ... like Formal wear... You cant really keep your tux and her gown on board. But you do need to have access to them. Seasonal clothes !!! Laundry at the marina laundromat or down the street somewhere. Practice first before You give up your 'home' !! And lastly ... give up sailing ... You cannot sail your home .... it's too hard to put it all away and go out for the day! Fair winds. Dave (3 yr liveabaord) I love it !! I am finally figuring out how to sail my house.
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Gord May
Liveaboard?
Spent 10 years cruising & liveaboard. Cruised winters, and worked-lived aboard summers. Boat NEVER left the dock in summers. Unless you can get away for significant cruising; a boat makes a lousy house. That said, our boat made a great "mobile home", and I'd do it again in a minute. All previouse posts offer good advice! Regards, Gord
Spent 10 years cruising & liveaboard. Cruised winters, and worked-lived aboard summers. Boat NEVER left the dock in summers. Unless you can get away for significant cruising; a boat makes a lousy house. That said, our boat made a great "mobile home", and I'd do it again in a minute. All previouse posts offer good advice! Regards, Gord
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Gord May
Liveaboard?
Spent 10 years cruising & liveaboard. Cruised winters, and worked-lived aboard summers. Boat NEVER left the dock in summers. Unless you can get away for significant cruising; a boat makes a lousy house. That said, our boat made a great "mobile home", and I'd do it again in a minute. All previouse posts offer good advice! Regards, Gord
Spent 10 years cruising & liveaboard. Cruised winters, and worked-lived aboard summers. Boat NEVER left the dock in summers. Unless you can get away for significant cruising; a boat makes a lousy house. That said, our boat made a great "mobile home", and I'd do it again in a minute. All previouse posts offer good advice! Regards, Gord
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David C. Hirtle
Looking for pro/cons for living aboard a sailboat
Good Morning My wife, Kathy and our geriatric (16) dachshund lived aboard our 28 O'day for close to a year. We used the time to travel south on the ICW and down through Florida. As has been suggested, it is indeed a trade off! The most difficult part, for me was changing our life style; living with less of the things "that you can't live without!" We found that as far as the essentials go, the batteries, head, and galley provide the essentials you simply must monitor you use of these things nd replenish, empty or recharge each as necessary. If you are "on the move" use a bike or have good walking shoes; remember, if it is more than a mile to the grocery store, it's more than a mile home. Enjoy the trip.
Good Morning My wife, Kathy and our geriatric (16) dachshund lived aboard our 28 O'day for close to a year. We used the time to travel south on the ICW and down through Florida. As has been suggested, it is indeed a trade off! The most difficult part, for me was changing our life style; living with less of the things "that you can't live without!" We found that as far as the essentials go, the batteries, head, and galley provide the essentials you simply must monitor you use of these things nd replenish, empty or recharge each as necessary. If you are "on the move" use a bike or have good walking shoes; remember, if it is more than a mile to the grocery store, it's more than a mile home. Enjoy the trip.
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Griffin
There are cons?
I was a full-time live-aboard cruiser for 3.5 years between Galveston Island, TX and Salem, MA on a Hunter 30. I never found any cons other than trying to live on a hook on the East Coast of Florida. The best part was the community. I loved 99% of my neighbors, and when I didn't, I picked up and moved. I was a sound engineer at the time and occasionally cruised into one of my gigs. I don't think the Conference Services folks at the Hyatt in Sarasota will ever forget the week I commuted by dinghy from the anchorage off of O'Leary's and brought the sound equipment in with me! BTW...I just bought a 34' O'Day and am clawing my way back 'out of the box' and into the sea.
I was a full-time live-aboard cruiser for 3.5 years between Galveston Island, TX and Salem, MA on a Hunter 30. I never found any cons other than trying to live on a hook on the East Coast of Florida. The best part was the community. I loved 99% of my neighbors, and when I didn't, I picked up and moved. I was a sound engineer at the time and occasionally cruised into one of my gigs. I don't think the Conference Services folks at the Hyatt in Sarasota will ever forget the week I commuted by dinghy from the anchorage off of O'Leary's and brought the sound equipment in with me! BTW...I just bought a 34' O'Day and am clawing my way back 'out of the box' and into the sea.
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Patrick
Two Years
Our retirement plan was to liveaboard our 376 for one year or two. We sold the house, put the stuff in storage. Shop hard for storage. Our 3 bdrm stuff was stored with no access for $60 per month. After 2 years and a move to Virginia no loss or damage. In the marina we had a rented closet and a small pickup with a shell for storage. Because of the additional storage and planning we could ready the boat for sailing in less than 30 minutes. We had phone and cable TV. We sailed at least weekly including trips to Mexico, Catalina, Santa Barbara etc. As a 2 year life style it was great. We will never regret it. It never rains in SOCAL. No AC required either.
Our retirement plan was to liveaboard our 376 for one year or two. We sold the house, put the stuff in storage. Shop hard for storage. Our 3 bdrm stuff was stored with no access for $60 per month. After 2 years and a move to Virginia no loss or damage. In the marina we had a rented closet and a small pickup with a shell for storage. Because of the additional storage and planning we could ready the boat for sailing in less than 30 minutes. We had phone and cable TV. We sailed at least weekly including trips to Mexico, Catalina, Santa Barbara etc. As a 2 year life style it was great. We will never regret it. It never rains in SOCAL. No AC required either.
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Ted
Plan B: Liveaboard in one place and work:
Thanks for all the wisdom keep it coming.. Thanks for the link to www.liveaboard.com, I placed a subscription order for the mag. My wife an I are still 15+ years from retirement. So we will be staying in one marina and working the same jobs. We have a storage unit close by to get at the "on hand" items. Plus we use of a property with a storage on it farther away to keep the antique furniture. Everything else we plan to sell in a monster garage sale. One post mentioned renting the house. Been there done that no thanks. Plus we still have to pay property taxes and its sky high here. We can get a nice dock slip for what we pay in taxes and *&*%$@ flood insurance. One post mentioned that liveaboards never sail??? Yea I can see you have to lock some stuff down before shoving off, but I cant see that keeping me from sailing. Are there any liveaboards out there that do sail?? Gordon, let me know the next time you in St A. I am docked at the foot of the bridge of Lions at the Anchorage Inn. Ted
Thanks for all the wisdom keep it coming.. Thanks for the link to www.liveaboard.com, I placed a subscription order for the mag. My wife an I are still 15+ years from retirement. So we will be staying in one marina and working the same jobs. We have a storage unit close by to get at the "on hand" items. Plus we use of a property with a storage on it farther away to keep the antique furniture. Everything else we plan to sell in a monster garage sale. One post mentioned renting the house. Been there done that no thanks. Plus we still have to pay property taxes and its sky high here. We can get a nice dock slip for what we pay in taxes and *&*%$@ flood insurance. One post mentioned that liveaboards never sail??? Yea I can see you have to lock some stuff down before shoving off, but I cant see that keeping me from sailing. Are there any liveaboards out there that do sail?? Gordon, let me know the next time you in St A. I am docked at the foot of the bridge of Lions at the Anchorage Inn. Ted
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Dale I
Didn't see any liveaboards in the Mug Race...
Ted, (....seems that I remember a post a while back from you regarding the Mug...) I'd guess that sailing for a liveaboard would require not only raising the water line a couple of inches, but giving up the competitive spirit as well... just another trade-off.
Ted, (....seems that I remember a post a while back from you regarding the Mug...) I'd guess that sailing for a liveaboard would require not only raising the water line a couple of inches, but giving up the competitive spirit as well... just another trade-off.
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carisea
livaboard
If your question referred to what type of boat would be the best to livaboard then you will not find a better boat for size and comfort than the Hunter 420/passage 42/ or H450 FOR THE MONEY!!!!! There may be heavier "bluewater boats" but for comparable interior space you will have to buy longer and pay much more.We have moved onto our passage 42 CC and haved lived for 6 months at the marina to get ready for a two year cruise. In my estimation you need at a minimum a double berth you and your 1st mate can get out of without kicking the other person in the head or your liveaboard life will be short lived
If your question referred to what type of boat would be the best to livaboard then you will not find a better boat for size and comfort than the Hunter 420/passage 42/ or H450 FOR THE MONEY!!!!! There may be heavier "bluewater boats" but for comparable interior space you will have to buy longer and pay much more.We have moved onto our passage 42 CC and haved lived for 6 months at the marina to get ready for a two year cruise. In my estimation you need at a minimum a double berth you and your 1st mate can get out of without kicking the other person in the head or your liveaboard life will be short lived
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ted
Dale, I have a Nacra 6.0 cat for the mug race
And a 3rd place trophy to go with it. Im trading in my house for a liveaboard, not my 6.0. Ted
And a 3rd place trophy to go with it. Im trading in my house for a liveaboard, not my 6.0. Ted
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Ted
Carisea, I agree. I like the layout of the Hunters
I compared the H44,45 and 46 to the benneteau 50/52. The Hunters have more galley/living space than the larger benneteau's. The larger Benneteau's have dedicated a lot of space to state rooms and mulitple heads. MOre space than I need. But I have to say the double wheels on the benneteau 50 sure makes me drool. Ted
I compared the H44,45 and 46 to the benneteau 50/52. The Hunters have more galley/living space than the larger benneteau's. The larger Benneteau's have dedicated a lot of space to state rooms and mulitple heads. MOre space than I need. But I have to say the double wheels on the benneteau 50 sure makes me drool. Ted
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tom
Why live aboard???
I wouldn't consider living aboard a boat tied to a dock. Unless maybe a large barge. Face it living aboard is like living at a trailer park. And we aren't talking about a double wide we're talking about a camping trailer!!!! Even as a substitute for a water front home it seems like a poor place to live. You should probably buy a large houseboat to live on and a daysailer to sail. Again climbing in and out of a sailboat is too much effort... A small high companionway makes sense for a boat at sea but tied to a dock it's just a pain!!! We seriously considered a houseboat/daysailer combination but the cost of fuel to move around changed our minds. A friend said that in good weather he could get two miles to the gallon but usually less. But cruising is a different matter!!!! Hopefully next year my wife and I will go cruising for a few years. When you wake up at a new place every few days it's worth the sacrifice of living in cramped damp quarters. But we plan to sell the boat and buy a house once we are finished cruising. Ideally we would cruise until we are ready for the nursing home.
I wouldn't consider living aboard a boat tied to a dock. Unless maybe a large barge. Face it living aboard is like living at a trailer park. And we aren't talking about a double wide we're talking about a camping trailer!!!! Even as a substitute for a water front home it seems like a poor place to live. You should probably buy a large houseboat to live on and a daysailer to sail. Again climbing in and out of a sailboat is too much effort... A small high companionway makes sense for a boat at sea but tied to a dock it's just a pain!!! We seriously considered a houseboat/daysailer combination but the cost of fuel to move around changed our minds. A friend said that in good weather he could get two miles to the gallon but usually less. But cruising is a different matter!!!! Hopefully next year my wife and I will go cruising for a few years. When you wake up at a new place every few days it's worth the sacrifice of living in cramped damp quarters. But we plan to sell the boat and buy a house once we are finished cruising. Ideally we would cruise until we are ready for the nursing home.
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Griffin
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Ted
Tom, I too considerd living on a houseboat
with a daysailor for sailing. But my wife and I are cruisers. We get 5 weeks a year vacation and we are always gone with our little 25' crusing the IWC. With a larger boat we can extend our crusing range to down to the Keys and Bahamas. Ted
with a daysailor for sailing. But my wife and I are cruisers. We get 5 weeks a year vacation and we are always gone with our little 25' crusing the IWC. With a larger boat we can extend our crusing range to down to the Keys and Bahamas. Ted
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tom
Everything is a tradeoff
I understand your angst!!!! You can also cruise the IWC in a houseboat!!! I looked at a houseboat magazine and web site. There are many places to take a houseboat without being exposed to the ocean. Here in Alabama you can go on the Warrior river or the Tennessee river for hundreds of miles. I am a sailer at least at heart and plan to start cruising next year. But I don't consider a sailboat a decent place to live tied to a dock. We have spent weekends aboard in the winter. For a weekend it is kinda neat but everything sweats and is damp. A marina can be a real zoo on weekends with everyone coming and going and weekenders partying all night. I have nothing against partying all night but if you have to be at work at 8:00 it might pose a problem. We have friends who love their houseboat!!! Every weekend all summer they are on it at the lake. They only motor a couple miles to a cove and tie up and hang out. They have a ski boat as a dingy. Satelite TV generator with refrigerator and stove. Looks like a typical living room in a house. But look around a marina at the sailboats. The large sailboats are usually the least used. It is just too much work to take a large sailboat out for a daysail. I'd build equity in my house and keep sailing what you have until you can go cruising full time. Good luck.
I understand your angst!!!! You can also cruise the IWC in a houseboat!!! I looked at a houseboat magazine and web site. There are many places to take a houseboat without being exposed to the ocean. Here in Alabama you can go on the Warrior river or the Tennessee river for hundreds of miles. I am a sailer at least at heart and plan to start cruising next year. But I don't consider a sailboat a decent place to live tied to a dock. We have spent weekends aboard in the winter. For a weekend it is kinda neat but everything sweats and is damp. A marina can be a real zoo on weekends with everyone coming and going and weekenders partying all night. I have nothing against partying all night but if you have to be at work at 8:00 it might pose a problem. We have friends who love their houseboat!!! Every weekend all summer they are on it at the lake. They only motor a couple miles to a cove and tie up and hang out. They have a ski boat as a dingy. Satelite TV generator with refrigerator and stove. Looks like a typical living room in a house. But look around a marina at the sailboats. The large sailboats are usually the least used. It is just too much work to take a large sailboat out for a daysail. I'd build equity in my house and keep sailing what you have until you can go cruising full time. Good luck.
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